I am having a lap-band done by Dr. Cavazos in San Antonio, Texas at Foundations Surgical Hospital on 12/2. I have had to put it off a couple of weeks because of work. Started my 1 week pre-op diet and lost 4 pounds in one day. I am a little apprehensive about surgery, which seems silly since I have had 5 knee surgeries. I guess never abdominal. I am a 38 year old male that weighs 278 and have a bmi of 40 (the doc says I am a very low risk patient) I do have a couple of questions. Thanks in advance I love this site and I am going to get more active.

1. The scars do they get better with time, and what have you done to help them ?( I would like to have my shirt off in the future at the pool etc.)

2. What pain meds did you leave the hospital with, and did you have to use them?

3. How quick did you return to work?

Falcon, my answers to your questions are below:

1. The scars do get better over time. Mine have gotten quite a bit better. The surgeon says the redness will continue to get better too. I don't think they will go away completely, but they do get better. I use Mederma cream on mine, but I didn't for several months after surgery. I wanted to make sure everything was healed very well.
   
2. For pain meds, they prescribed liquid hydrocodone. Yes, I did use it for a few days. I think I even had it re-filled once.
   
3. I returned to work after one week. It was pretty rough, and I worked half days for a few days when I returned. But, I probably could have benefitted from staying home a few more days.
   

Good luck! I hope that helped.

Thanks Aunt Lucy your info is greatly appreciated

Good luck with your upcoming surgery.

1. I had laproscoptic gall bladder surgery a few years ago, and the scars on only faint white lines now. I had staples and stitches with that surgery, but this time the surgeon used glue. I'm using an aloe vera and Vitamin D lotion. It's been just under three months since my surgery, and the lines are still red. I wish I remembered how long it took those other scars to go pale, but it was so gradual, I guess I really didn't notice.

2. I left the hospital with a bag of pain medication going directly into my stomach area, sort of like an IV, but it wasn't a needle, to my great relief. I carried the bag in little fanny pack that came with it. I've read that some people took theirs out right away, but I left mine in until the meds ran out after a couple of days. It really kept the surgical sites numb. I also had a narcotic med to take orally. I weaned off those after a couple of days and stuck with liquid Tylenol.

3. I'm a SAHM, but I think I would have felt fine going back to work in about a week, if I had a desk job. I think the half days auntlucy mentioned would be helpful, if your company would allow that. I was still achy in the port area, so sitting up for eight hours straight would have been pretty uncomfortable.

I LOVE Dr. Cavazos. He's great, the staff is wonderful, you'll do well! He prescribed liquid hydrocodone for me, too, the first time, and I didn't ever need it. Can't say about the scars since for me it's just been 3 months. I had my surgery on Friday and went back to school that next Tuesday. I felt great. I think a week is a good amt. of time to take off unless you have a physical type job; then lifting restrictions might mean you need to take a little more time.

1. I am one week postop (8 days). My dermabond is drying and flaking off my incision sites, which are still obvious but are also healed shut. They itch like mad.

2. I came home with liquid Lortab. I used it a little less every day and by the fourth day postop I was not using it at all. Get adult liquid Tylenol to transition to. The pain for me honestly was not at all bad.

3. I went back to work on the fourth day after surgery.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

I'm a little more than a week post surgery.

1. My scars look like they will be extremely minimal. Except for the port area they cuts are so small.

2. I came home w/liquid Lortab too. But honestly I was only on liquid tylenol in the hospital and was FINE. Are you uncomfortable? Sure. Are you in mind blowing pain? No. I did you use the big pain killers for 2 days post surgery more for sleep then for pain. Then on to the liquid tyelenol and I was off that 2 days later.

3. I had my surgery on Wed and was back to work on Monday. I have a desk job. So keep that in mind. By Tuesday I was completely fine except for my incisions hurting a little and itching. I'm not trying to brag but I even stopped at the grocery store on the way home from the hospital. I'm not saying I felt great -- but I've been in WAY more pain in my life.

The most trouble you'll probably have is getting in and out of bed. Up and down off sitting positions. I said it was like someone made me do 20,000 crunches and the kicked me in the stomach.

You'll do great. Good luck.

1. I have had two laparoscopic surgeries in my life-time and the scars fade over time. I did nothing for my scars with the first surgery and plan on doing nothing with my most recent surgery for lap-banding.

2. I asked my doctor to call my prescription in before the surgery, so I had liquid loritab at home before the surgery and it is all gone. My pain was intense, but diminished over several days.

3. I scheduled two weeks off work in advance, which I needed for my recovery.